UPDATE - DoD continues to support to wildland firefighting efforts in the west

PETERSON
AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. –
Two Department of Defense C-130 aircraft equipped with U.S. Forest Service
Modular Airborne Fire Fighting Systems and under the command and control of
U.S. Northern Command are assisting with wildfire suppression efforts in the
Northwest, Great Basin and elsewhere in the West at the request of the National
Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho.

Since July 20, 2014, DoD aircraft have conducted 55 air drops and discharged
more than 93,300 gallons of retardant.

Specific information by fire within the last 72 hours is below:

Levan, Utah-- Nine (9) air drops – App. 14,400 gallons of retardant

Rockport, Utah—Five (5) air drops -- App. 5,900 gallons of retardant

The supporting unit flying the MAFFS mission is the 153rd Airlift Wing of
Wyoming Air National Guard located in Cheyenne, WY.

USNORTHCOM provides DOD capabilities for disaster response operations in
support of the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management
Agency, NIFC, and state and local officials and continues to closely monitor
wildfires to anticipate requests for DoD assistance.

Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard C-130 aircraft assigned to units in
California, Colorado, North Carolina and Wyoming are capable of dropping fire
retardant using U.S. Forest Service MAFFS units. Aircrews, maintenance
crews and support personnel undergo special NIFC training and certification to
perform these missions each year.